Everyday Mysticism: Grace Cathedral, Hildegard of Bingen, and Labyrinths

Hildegard of Bingen: Spiritual BadA**

Hello! After a long and much needed break, we're back and ready to chat about mysticism, astrology, and more!

What is everyday mysticism?

Everyday mysticism means to live your life in a conscious way. It means finding the small miracles in the world because small miracles are always there. Find the silence. Understand your heart. Listen, and if that doesn't work, listen again. And again. And again. (Turn off the cell phone to really listen to your soul.)

How can I do that? 

Journal. Even five minutes of writing can reconnect you with your true purpose. Meditate. Silence isn't just golden, it's the key to unlocking what you really need in the moment. Carve out time for YOU. In our hectic, tech-driven world, it's important to power down so we can plug our souls into something bigger than us - universal energy and love.

Sacred labyrinth power  with
Dr. Lauren Artress

On Happy Ganesh's Facebook and Twitter pages, you mentioned a book called Walking a Sacred Path by Dr. Lauren Artress. What made you recommend  that book to your hundreds of followers?

I'm a big fan of what I call "meditative walking" - when I throw on some sneakers, grab my iPod, and talk a very, very long brisk walk. I love either walking in our neighborhood or walking in the local woods. Trees inspire and revive me. Nature gives me a feeling of excitement and adventure: my inner five year old goes, "Where are we going?"

That love of contemplation and nature drew me to Walking a Sacred Path - but, as the universe truly works in divine and perfect ways, usually when I least expect it, I didn't know I was being "drawn" to it. I bought it at a book sale because it was fifty cents! Much to my great surprise, I learned later that Dr. Lauren Artress , the author, is  responsible for the labyrinth at the welcoming and wonderful Grace Cathedral in San Francisco, one of my favorite spiritual spots!

 I had a chance to visit Grace Cathedral over Christmas 2013 and I was so moved by the beauty and tranquility of the space that I began to cry. Due to the holiday festivities, I didn't have a chance to walk the labyrinth but I look forward to doing so very soon. Movement is sacred. And at the heart of the labyrinth lies awareness, answers, visions, truth? All of the above, perhaps.

 One of my favorite quotes from the book is about the spiritual philosophy of Hildegard of Bingen, a 12th century mystic and theologian:

Hildegard of Bingen was [...] an author of theology that knitted together nature and spirit, cosmos and soul.  She described the [Spirit] as the greening power of God. Just as plants are greened, so are we as well. As we grow up, our spark of life continually shines forth. If we ignore this spark, this greening power, we become thirsty and shriveled. And if we respond to the spark, we flower. (Walking a Sacred Path, Artress, 1995, p.15)

What will you do this week to contribute to the "greening" of your soul and inner life? Will you use walking or hiking to hear your spirit? Or will you choose another form of awareness?

Writing Wednesdays (late): The Poetry Reading

[caption id="attachment_203" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Tricking the Goddess "][/caption]

Tonight, I read from my soon-to-be-published poetry collection, Tricking the Goddess. I was joined by two other delightful poets, my good friend Dr. Kristin Berkey-Abbott (author of Whistling Past the Graveyard and I Stand Here Shredding Documents) and Shefali Chokski (Frontier Literature).

For those who could not make it out tonight, we'll be reading at Books and Books at the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art on August 4th at 6 pm.

 

[caption id="attachment_202" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Reading from Tricking the Goddess"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_201" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="Hollywood Vine (and me)"][/caption]

There's something amazingly rewarding about reading your own work to a crowd of appreciative people.

Tricking the Goddess is on the hunt for a publisher before the August date! When it is due out, I'll post here about it. :)

Here's text from the promo flier, including some blurbs from Edmund Skellings, the Poet Laureate of Florida and Dr. Berkey-Abbott.

 

About Marissa Cohen and Tricking the Goddess



“[Cohen’s work is] powerful, both intellectually and emotionally.”

– Edmund Skellings, Poet Laureate of Florida



“The reader may feel some guilt, because Cohen's poems are so imaginative, such an enjoyable treat, even in the face of such sadness. It's a comfort to know that we have Cohen's poems as a guide to navigating the unfamiliar terrain [of loss].”

--  Kristin Berkey-Abbott, author of I Stand Here Shredding Documents and Whistling Past the Graveyard



In Tricking the Goddess, Cohen writes with dark humor and vulnerability about the aftermath of her mother’s death. In her new life, spirits unexpectedly speak and old friends help her find faith. What will it take to return from “Cancerland”? Cohen explores themes of loss, change, and empowerment in this soon-to-be-published collection.

Marissa Cohen uses her fiction, poetry, and nonfiction to explore women’s creative and spiritual experiences. In 2003, she received the Letters Honorarium from the National League of American Pen Women. She has worked for numerous publications, including the award-winning Bella Books, the Sun-Sentinel, and the Palm Beach Arts Paper. She also regularly contributes to She Magazine with her book review column “On the Shelves.” Also a professional astrologer and intuitive, Cohen is the president and founder of HappyGanesh.com, where she regularly writes about astrology and the transformative power of creative writing. She lives in Florida. For more information about Marissa, please visit www.happyganesh.com

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I'm off to dream of books.

Til next time,

M